Posts Tagged ‘natural swarm’

Chuck Barrett is pictured here with his signature orange cake.  Made from scratch, his secret ingredient is Triple sec.  Whenever he is invited to a gathering, he brings his cake and garners rave  reviews.  The ladies in the group are are always impressed with his baking skills.

Chuck Barrett is pictured here with his signature orange cake. Made from scratch, his secret ingredient is Triple sec. Whenever he is invited to a gathering, he brings his cake and garners rave reviews. The ladies in the group are are always impressed with his baking skills.

Inspired by my bee stories, my ninety-one year old father-in-law took pen in hand and wrote “A Busy Bee Song.”  Setting the words to a simple tune he composed, he hoped to inspire children to learn about and respect the honeybees.

Judy Rhodes

Judy Rhodes

He asked Judy Rhodes, a local singer in his home town of Phoenix, Arizona, to sing his song.  Judy performs with a small group, “Up the Road and Around the Bend,” who sing for folks in retirement homes around the Phoenix area.  He copyrighted his words and music to make it officially his own.

Chuck Barrett is truly an inspiration.  He leads an exercise group three days a week at his local YW.  His enthusiasm is contagious and people join in, some in wheelchairs, some with walkers with bingo in the next room as his fierce competition.

I set videos and photos of my bees to Chuck’s song, and we hope you will enjoy our efforts to bring awareness to the honeybees story.

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August 7, 2014...Nobody wants to see an August swarm.  Yet here it is.

August 7, 2014…Nobody wants to see an August swarm. Yet here it is.

There was little doubt about where the swarm originated from.  It was parked in the plum tree behind Bee-atrice Log hive.  I just didn’t want to believe it was from Bee-atrice.  I had such high hopes for her.  The swarm that found her has been there for only two months to the day.  It was a big swarm that day on June 7th.  I had never seen bees build so fast as you can see by the pictures.

July 9, 2014...After only one month the comb has been built where it's becoming visible in the observation window.  These bees are serious.

July 9, 2014…After only one month the comb has been built where it’s becoming visible in the observation window. These bees are serious.

July 14, 2014...Comb is already touching the window

July 14, 2014…Comb is already touching the window.  The mouth entrance is seen at the lower middle.

July 18, 2014...Three combs are inching their way down the window.

July 18, 2014…Three combs are inching their way down the window.

July 23, 2014...The observation window is filled with bees and comb.

July 23, 2014…The observation window is filled with bees and comb.

 

July 23, 2014...Bee-atrice's bees have settled in nicely.

July 23, 2014…Bee-atrice’s bees have settled in nicely.  This picture shows the bees and naturally built comb…no pink plastic foundation here!

I was just getting ready to shoot some videos of Bee-atrice’s two month anniversary over the weekend.  We were sitting at the dinner table when my wife wondered aloud about that brown spot in the plum tree.   I was hoping it was our eyes playing tricks on us, but noooooo, it was the real deal…an August swarm.

August 8, 2014...After Bee-atrice swarmed, brood temperature is holding steady.

August 8, 2014…After Bee-atrice swarmed, brood temperature is holding steady.

August 10, 2014...A look through the observation window shows many fewer bees after the swarm.

August 10, 2014…A look through the observation window shows many fewer bees after the big swarm left..

Now we wait and worry for the emerging virgin queen to come back alive and inherit the hive…fingers crossed.

Bee Math for Bee-atrice

Bee Beard is Back!!!

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